Some people want to start a business because it sounds like a cool thing to do. They want to be entrepreneurs to have ‘[their name], Entrepreneur’ on their business cards. However, this concept lacks a lot of logic. Becoming an entrepreneur for the reason of being one will not produce success. Entrepreneurs need to be super passionate about what they’re trying to do. They shouldn’t care about the title because the title itself will not motivate them to keep moving forward after experiencing failures.

This is one of the many things I’ve learnt from my mentor, Spencer Thompson. He became an entrepreneur because he wanted to solve a problem. Spencer saw that many students from his high school either didn’t know what do with their lives or were being influenced by parents, peers, and guidance counsellors to head into career fields that most probably didn’t suit them. And so, Spencer created Sokanu, a career match-making service that uses science to match you with your dream career. Though his entrepreneurial journey has not been an easy one, it’s three years since he started, and Spencer is still on his quest to help people find their true calling.

For years, people have erupted in uproars when coming across schools that run as businesses. Many argue that schools cannot benefit when bringing profits into the equation. They don’t believe that change in the education system can be implemented through a business perspective. I agree that schools shouldn’t lose sight of their purpose: to allow people to learn and grow. However, as a proud former student of the Florida Virtual School (FLVS), I can testify that running a school as a business can be effective.

FLVS is the best education institution that I’ve encountered and much of this is because it’s a business. This aspect of the school has given it an incentive to grow. It opened countless franchises, employs thousands, and annually teaches over 130,000 worldwide. Unlike typical schools, FLVS constantly improves its quality by testing countless variables. It responds to feedback from students, teachers, and parents by implementing new and more effective teaching styles. Also, its goal of profitability has allowed it to become efficient, reducing costs and needs for more tax dollars.

By acting as a business, the Florida Virtual School has become an innovative pioneer among education institutes, benefitting stakeholders, from students to governments.